About the Artist

My interest in photography began at about the age of twenty, with the acquisition of an old 35 mm Canon camera that worked about half of the time. I was fascinated to see (occasionally) what a "real" camera could do controlling depth of field, selective focus, etc. An interest in travel grew during a stint in the Navy, with deployments to the North Atlantic and the Caribbean. These interests merged into a love of traveling to beautiful places, and trying to record that beauty.

My technical training in photography consists of several workshops with notable professionals and whatever I can find to read on outdoor and nature photography. My training as a doctor of Optometry included a great deal on the physics of light and the anatomy and physiology of the eye and visual system, which are certainly central to amedium that is entirely visual.

I have consulted with many professionals to try to better understand what it is that makes an image artistic, as opposed to a basic record of what was in front of the camera, and have been amused by the "revelation" that the simple truth is that success in creating an artistic image remains very subjective. What thrills and excites one observer may make the next one yawn, whether amateur or professional. An idea that seems to be gaining in popularity is that you should create to please yourself first, rather than trying to emulate or please someone else. If others like your work as much as you do, all the better!

All of my images were taken outdoors with the available natural light. I frequently use a polarizing filter to reduce glare and light scatter, which allows color to show more accurately than is possible otherwise. I react strongly to color in nature, and tend to use it as the most important graphic element in the majority of my images. No color enhancement is used, and I am opposed to the use of electronically manipulated images unless they are clearly identified as such.

I use two formats: 35 mm and 6 x 7 medium format. Most of my 35 mm photographs were taken with nikon equipment, but the panoramics were taken with a Hasselblad X-pan. The medium formats are from a Pentax 67II. The prints were printed professionally with the Type-R process, directly from the transparency to the paper, which eliminates the need for (and image degradation inherent in) internegatives. The paper is either Fujichrome Paper Type 35 or Crystal Archive. All matting and framing has been done professionally, using conservation/archival materials, including acid-free mattes and mounting board and non-glare glass.

Please enjoy browsing through the image on my website. Feel free to ask about the subject matter, technical aspects, locations, or anything I might be able to help with. I am always happy to share what I have learned with anyone interested in the same things. It is my hope that you will tkae with you some of the same sense of wonder and awe at nature's amazing visual display.

Michael Walker, O.D.

Contact

http://www.walkerphotos.com/about.html
Revised 5 October 2002
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